BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Coronavirus: German contact-tracing app takes different path to NHS
Germany's forthcoming coronavirus contact-tracing app will trigger alerts only if users test positive for Covid-19. That puts it at odds with the NHS app, which instead relies on users self-diagnosing via an on-screen questionnaire. UK health chiefs have said the questionnaire is a key reason they are pursuing a "centralised" design despite privacy campaigners' protests. Germany ditch ... Read more
2020-05-14 06:01:57
Wristband helps workers maintain social distancing
A wristband which notifies the wearer with a vibration if they get too close to maintain safe social distancing has been introduced at the port of Antwerp.
BBC Click finds out more.
2020-05-14 06:01:39
Coronavirus: Musk defies orders to reopen Tesla's California plant
The local police department said that it was aware of the situation, but that it would act at the discretion of county health officials. The Alameda County Public Health Department said on Monday it was "actively communicating" with Tesla about reopening plans and that it was taking the same approach it had taken with other business that had violated lockdown orders. In an email seen by Reuters, ... Read more
2020-05-11 21:06:39
Coronavirus: A4-sized face shields 'too narrow' for PPE
The British Standards Institution (BSI) says that A4-sized face shields do not always protect healthcare workers' faces from exposure to Covid-19. Faced with a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), many communities have started making their own to help frontline workers. These include 3D-printing and laser-cut designs. Some incorporate A4-sized acetate transparent paper, designed for ... Read more
2020-05-11 21:06:10
China's factory activity shrinks as slowdown worries rise
Chinese factory activity contracted for a second straight month in January, the official Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) showed. The index ticked up to 49.5, but remained below the 50-point level that separates growth from contraction. China reported its weakest economic expansion in 28 years in 2018, and growth is expected to slow further. Already, a number of multinationals have said sluggish ... Read more
2020-05-10 19:54:08
RTX Voice: Noise-destroying tech put to the test
Graphics card-maker Nvidia is developing noise-cancellation technology that can eliminate nuisance sounds from video calls and livestreams.
The first version of its technology uses spare capacity on its high-end graphics cards.
BBC Click's Chris Fox put the system through a series of increasingly complex challenges, alongside existing noise-cancelling software Krisp.
2020-05-10 19:53:43
Coronavirus: 'Plandemic' virus conspiracy video spreads across social media
Major social networks are rushing to take down a new coronavirus conspiracy theory video which has rapidly spread across the internet. The so-called "Plandemic" video is edited in the style of a documentary, with much higher production standards than many conspiracy videos. The video is filled with medical misinformation about where the virus came from and how it is transmitted. Despi ... Read more
2020-05-08 20:26:22
Tech Tent: An experiment on the Isle of Wight
An island off the south coast of England is now the focus of the world's attention - or at least that part of the world that wants to know whether contact tracing apps can help deal with the coronavirus. On this week's Tech Tent we hear how a trial on the Isle of Wight could determine which kind of app - if any - is the best way forward. Listen to the latest Tech Tent podcast on BBC Sounds Li ... Read more
2020-05-08 20:25:56
Coronavirus: NHS reveals source code behind contact-tracing app
The NHS has released the source code behind its coronavirus contact-tracing app. More than 40,000 people have installed the smartphone software so far. The health service is targeting the Isle of Wight only, at this stage, but it says this is the first stage of the app's rollout - not a test. Tests carried out on behalf of BBC News confirm the developers have found a way to work round restricti ... Read more
2020-05-07 22:01:55
Coronavirus: Will offices be safe for a return to work?
As lockdowns start to ease in many countries, so the tentative return to work begins, leaving people understandably concerned about how safe a space an office will be in the middle of a global pandemic. Alongside some mouldy old food in the communal fridges, there is likely to be an increase in the amount of technology used to monitor employees. From thermal cameras taking your temperature when ... Read more
2020-05-06 20:33:10